There are many reasons why you should choose organic wholefood products. Organic means it's better for you and better for the environment. Popcorn is one of these products which you should always buy organic.
What is popcorn?
Corn is a versatile starchy vegetable which comes as kernels on a cob inside a husk. Dried seeds become whole grain; when ground, it becomes flour commonly used in American cuisine for tortillas, tacos, nachos and other dishes. Popped corn is everyone's favourite snack for parties and long evenings watching films. There's only one type of corn that will make popcorn. This particular variety is the only one that has the ability to pop and turn into a healthy snack.
Why does corn pops?
Dried corn grains have a hard yellow shell and a starchy centre with a little bit of water inside. When you place corn kernel in a hot pan, the water inside starts cooking and creates a lot of steam, building a lot of pressure. After a couple of minutes, the shell explodes, and the starch comes out, creating a crunchy yet soft snack.
Why you should always buy organic popcorn
By buying organic popcorn, you can avoid pesticides and GMOs. Corn is one of the whole grains which is often genetically engineered. Engineers change corn's DNA to make it more resistant to lack of watering or insects.
Although there's no evidence that genetically modified crops may cause any risk to human health, corn is grown using different chemicals.
Farmers use many pesticides, fungicides, and insecticides on corn crops. Some of them are bee-toxic and kill other valuable insects.
Is popcorn healthy?
Corn as a vegetable and whole grain offers you many health benefits. Corn is a good source of fibre for better gut health and antioxidants, such as vitamin C, which protects your body cells from damage. It also contains other vitamins such as E, B and K, small amounts of potassium and magnesium. Yellow corn contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which are good for eye health and help prevent cataracts.
In general, the darker corn, the better nutrients it has to offer. Dark colour corn contains more phytonutrients and antioxidants.
Popcorn is a healthy snack. Low in calories, it includes a lot of fibre and protein. Fibre helps you feel satisfied and full for longer after the meal, and it also supports healthy gut bacteria.
Adding whole grain, unprocessed foods to your diet leads to better gut health and helps lower the risk of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even cancer, especially colon cancer.
If you have diabetes, popcorn offers you a low-sugar, low-calorie snack, but you must remember that it contains carbohydrates and should be consumed in small portions.
Popcorn nutritional info:
In one cup of oil-popped corn, you get these nutrients per serving:
- Calories: 55
- Protein: 1 gram
- Fat: 3.1 g
- Carbs: 6.3 g
- Fibre: 1 g
- Sugars: 0 g
- Magnesium 11.9 mg
- Potassium 24.8 mg
- Phosphorus 27.5 mg
- Sodium 97.2 mg
How to make popcorn at home
You can easily make organic popcorn at home. Just heat up the pan, and add one spoon of oil. When the oil is hot, place popcorn kernels there, and leave it on medium heat, keeping the lid on. After a couple of minutes, the corn will start popping, and you know it's ready just when it stops.
You can also make a healthier version of popcorn without oil. Just use a nonstick pan or pot and replace oil with a bit of water. Keep a lid on it while it heats up and while the corn is popping.
Top it with some salt (the best option!) or spices, like cinnamon or chilli powder, black pepper and paprika, for extra spiciness!
Be careful with other toppings as you can calories! Enjoy!
